Have you ever worked at a job where you pulled long hours and labored hard for the company, but never received the acknowledgement you deserved? If so, you most likely felt unappreciated or underappreciated, and contemplated how long you were going to work for that company. It’s discouraging to dedicate so much of your time and effort to a company that doesn’t acknowledge how much energy you are putting into their organization.
Donors and members of organizations can feel the same way. Recognizing contributors is crucial to the success and longevity of your organization. By doing so, they will feel appreciated and they will gain a stronger sense of dedication towards your organization. Your recognition of them and their efforts will strengthen their commitment to your organization.
Recognition with Awards
A direct way to recognize your donors is by presenting them with awards. Most awards are distributed at a gathering, such as an annual banquet, so not only are you giving a valued contributor a physical award for them to take home and reflect upon, but you are expressing your gratitude towards them in front of other donors and organization members.
Receiving an award is a tremendous honor, and people feel genuinely valued and appreciated when they are presented with a meaningful award. Some prestigious awards could include most volunteered hours, highest donation, most tenured contributor, or most committed new member of your organization. The award possibilities are endless and can be catered to the different types of contributors you have at your organization.
The Little Things Matter
When an organization is upheld by volunteers and donors, it’s critical to remember that no matter how small a form of recognition or award may seem, they matter to the people committing their time and resources to an organization they support. It’s a big deal for people to stick around, so honoring a five-year, ten-year, and twenty-year commitment is appreciated. People want to feel like their time and effort is valued, and a yearly marker award or product like a personalized paperweight or lapel pin will turn into an item a contributor cherishes.
The Importance of Gratitude
Whether someone has been supporting your organization for many years, or they are a new member, they want to feel welcome. Recognizing and acknowledging them even in a non-public setting is a great way to leave a lasting impression. A person is more likely to continue supporting an organization if they feel like they are appreciated. Starting that relationship with new members will influence them to be supporters for many years to come.
Building a Culture of Appreciation
Creating an environment full of appreciation doesn’t happen instantly. An organization’s gratitude is apparent in their culture. Training staff to say thank you and allowing contributors to feel valued is essential in the culture of a successful organization. Once the attitude of appreciation is established, then there are many ways to fulfill award programs and create memorable recognition plans and incentives.
Results Gained from Recognition
Recognizing donors will encourage them to continue giving to your organization. Recognition of a person’s generosity will inspire others to act similarly. Providing an award or another product of recognition brands your organization and helps advertise and promote your mission.
Recognizing staff members is equally important too. It’s great to remember staff members’ anniversaries. You can honor anniversaries in many ways. You can acknowledge them with a letter of appreciation or present them with a frame-able certificate of recognition. You could also give them a catalog full of product reward choices and allow them to pick whatever they want. By choosing any of these forms of recognition, you can boost their morale considerably. When someone feels praised for their loyalty, they are a lot more likely to continue dedicating their days to helping an organization and the organization’s mission.
Awards and Recognition Fulfillment with Valtim
Rewarding and recognizing your contributors is vitally essential to increasing your brand’s affinity. Whether you are acknowledging a fundraiser for reaching specific goals, a volunteer for putting in a certain number of hours, or a member who has achieved a milestone, your awards and recognition program is how you acknowledge the achievements of your community. With medium and large organizations, this can sometimes be a difficult task to track all the moving parts and ensure your supporters are recognized. Let Valtim help you by setting up and fulfilling your awards and recognition program.
